Happy Cinco de Mayo and Happy Fresh Tamales Going Like Hotcakes at Grassroots!

My favorite health food store, the kind that's straight out of the 70's, is in South Pasadena. Grassroots is in a little mini-mall at Fair Oaks & Oxley. And every Cinco de Mayo, for two days, May 5th & 6th, they celebrate by serving up fresh, home-made, unbelievably delicious Tamales.

Fresh Green Chile & Cheese Tamales. $4.75 a piece

Apparently the kitchen worked tirelessly to make these amazing, authentic treats. I mean for days. They have Machaca, Chicken, Green Chili and Cheese (my favorite), Pork, and Jackfruit. Jackfruit by the way is delicious and an amazing source of protein. It's like you know when everyone told you to eat kale and would tell you it's worth it but you sort of had to admit you didn't like kale that much? Well, jackfruit is delish. No rationalizing.

They also serve an outstanding, homemade, rojo or verde sauce to go with them:

I'm so excited. Got like half a dozen. Freezing a few and eating some for dinner. Home in bed nursing a cold but this? This all feels healthy.

Labeled everything. They're very nice.

So remember this is just for today and tomorrow that they have these kick-ass tamales. The kitchen opens at 9am and though the market is open until 7, the kitchen closes at 4pm.

And by the way, you may want to come here anyway. They have everything: vitamins, neti pots (which when I went to go buy one asked them if they had a "honey pot." That was embarrassing), and these OUTSTANDING brownies that are like gluten-free and the whole deal and will knock your socks off. In other words, maybe every day you eat gluten, fucking love the stuff, cannot get enough. That's fine. You'd love these, too. They're cakey, moist, flavorful. Trust me, I'm a snob. Hey, that's a great name for my latest autobiography. Where's my assistant? Assistant? Take note!

The Big Yummy is a Big Yes.

It's almost amusing how good they are. And just in case you go when it's not May 5th or 6th, I have to recommend their Bowls. They have The Fiesta Bowl, $8.95, Vegan Chicken, $10.50, The Cuban Bowl which I love because Plantains are my favorite thing ever, $8.95 and plenty more. The one I always get is The Chili Bowl. Never took a picture of it but man, so good. Vegan Chili (made with Tempeh) or Beef Chili (all their beef, chicken, turkey & pork are raised naturally without hormones or antibiotics), rice (brown or Spanish though yesterday they had Spanish Quinoa which was fabulosity), cheddar or soy cheese, avo, scallions or red onions. Top it with some sour cream and DUDE, you're a happy peace-loving camper. $10.50 for the bowl. Oh, and you can get it on freshly made corn bread. How nice is that?

Speaking of Corn...

I implore you, if you care about food at all:

Beef Machaca Tamales at Grassroots Natural Market & Kitchen

Grassroots Natural Market & Kitchen is at 1119 Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena, CA 91030. Hours are Monday thru Friday, 9am to 7pm, Saturday, 9am-6pm, and Sunday 10am to 5pm. But remember the kitchen closes at 4pm and on Sundays, only the juice bar is open. Parking available for free. Tamales are made special for today and tomorrow. $4.75 a piece. You can call ahead if you want to save time. 626.799.0156.

Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Enjoy!

Merry Christmas and Tamale Alert

Some of THE BEST TAMALES I HAVE EVER EATEN are being sold for the holiday season at Grassroots  on Oxley & Fair Oaks in South Pas. The last day to order your Tamales for Christmas is Monday and maybe that's not your tradition but I urge you to start.

Dense but not heavy tasting, authentic, seasoned perfectly, simple and fresh and filled with certified organic white corn, non-GMO masa, no lard, no hormones, no anti-biotics - the flavor, the quality, the homemade-ness of these are OUTSTANDING.

And I think they're making thousands. I'm serious. Varieties include Green Chile & Cheese (that's what I had. That's two of what I had), Beef Machaca, Savory Organic Jack Fruit - which is loaded with zinc so it's like a healthy tamale, Chicken, Shredded Pork-- I know,  you wouldn't think they'd have pork, but they're letting down their hippie locks for Christmas - in other words, they've got all the hits. Oh, and though I found them moist, steamy and delicious they do offer traditional red sauce and green chile verde sauce. Also homemade and also perfectly traditional and super enhancing to the tamale.

You can order in bulk if you want some for a party but again, last day to order is Monday for pick up the 23rd and 24th. I'm planning on bringing some on the plane - the woman there told me they travel well. And you can order them now, freeze them and have them any time. There's an idea.

I promise more pictures in the future but today I simply wolfed down lunch without blinking or thinking that I would want to post about it. I was famished and man, these hit the spot! And normally I wouldn't impulsively write but because time is of the essence, I wanted you to know what was up.

Enjoy!

Grassroots Natural Market and Bar is located at 1119 Fair Oaks Boulevard. T: 626.799.0156. On Instagram +GrassrootsNMK

Two Things Worth Doing This Weekend - Ramen and Tacos

Just a quick how do you do to tell you two fun things going on in case you're looking for a good time. Both having to do with food. Of course.

First of all, if you like tacos, and if you don't, I don't know you, you might want to check out The LA Taco Festival happening today in Boyle Heights.

To benefit homeless youth, there'll be mariachi music, art, community outreach and TACOS. That's from 2-8pm, at Mariachi Plaza in Boyle Heights. It's Cash Only at the door. And you can take the Metro to get there.

Another option - this one happening today and tomorrow in Little Tokyo as a part of Nisei Week is a Ramen Festival.

Honestly, the last time I ate Ramen I think I was in high school, but earlier this week my cute friend, Heather, called and I never heard her so excited. She not only found out about this festival but learned there'll be a gluten-free Ramen option. I mean don't panic, there'll be a lot of gluten there for "normal" people, but there will be an option for those who can't eat the gluten and yet crave the ramen.

The idea that if they have so many options they actually have gluten-free Ramen leads me to believe there'll be A LOT of choices. So with an icepack around my neck to keep me cool, I am very willing to eat hot soup on an August day.

Because that's the kind of friend I am to the Gluten-Challenged.

Hope to see you there!

The 4th Annual LA Taco Festival is happening today from 2-8pm. All You Can Eat passes are sold out but you can still buy (as long as supplies last) tix as follows: $4.00 will get you 1 taco, $10.00 will get you 3, and for $20.00 you get your 8 tacos. It's Cash Only at the Door. Click HERE for more information on Metro & Parking.

The Ramen Yokocho Fest is happening today from 11-11 and Sunday from 11 to 9. There'll be 9 Ramen shops, count 'em, 9,  dishing out ramen from all over (Sacramento to Las Vegas to Japan), DJ's, contests, including a gyoza eating contest (yum). It's taking place at 160 North Central Ave., in Downtown LA. If you're driving, try parking at 101 Judge John Aiso Street, LA, CA 90012. If you're going by Metro it's just a 3 minute walk from the Little Tokyo District Arts Station on The Gold Line. The Admission Price is $5 and the price for a bowl of Ramen is $8, flat. Children 6 and under go in free.

Enjoy! (how can you not?)

Boy Clothes Dripped in Butter Sauce on Vermont

As opposed to being one big city, consider LA as if it's 100 or so neighborhoods all sort of related to each other (though you're hard-pressed to get the relationship between Eagle Rock and Beverly Hills). And in a weird way a neighborhood could even just be a strip -- like a series of blocks all heading north to south.

Vermont in Los Feliz is such a strip.  The good stuff of Vermont is sandwiched between Hollywood Boulevard to the south and Franklin Boulevard to the north.

Or another way to look at is you kind of want to hang right above Hollywood Boulevard where Macho's Taco stand doles out apparently a very decent Mole:

Macho's Tacos (my husband says the mole's the real deal)

And right below Franklin on the north end, which is marked by the historic House of Pies...

As I have said many times, who doesn't like pie?

There's a certain look on Vermont or rather there's a certain look to the east side. It's young, it's free, it's loose, it's comf. And it's about owning your style. Admitting you have one might be first step. And once you admit it - if you're young and a guy - you're going to want to check out Agent asap. 

Upstairs at Agent

Agent (formerly X-Large) is a hip hoppy type store on Vermont down below the Los Feliz 3. I recently popped into Agent when I needed to get my husband a shirt for our anniversary. And though I don't necessarily think my husband or I are really Agent's demographic, I still almost bought some or all of the following.

This t-shirt...

This sweatshirt that seemed really open to anything...

Anything costs $97. That seemed on the high-end of their price point. You heard me. I said Price Point!!!

These nice caps, hats... how are the kids referring to the thing one puts on one's head...???

these alternate modes of transport...

skateboards for 50 bucks

And this shirt, which I think explains a lot...

$30

By the way, you and I know I'm not a young man wearing all that is Delicious and Vinyl, but I like good stuff. And more importantly, here's how I feel about any store I pop into. I'm not going to go back and I'm certainly not going to recommend it if the people who work there aren't nice. All to say, the co-owner was a doll.

Co-Owner on the left, Friend shaking his Hand on the right.  Girl who was pissed about a club thing hanging out outside. **

This shirt has leather patches on the elbows

You seriously should duck your head into this young man-cave. And you don't have to be the exact demographic. The day I popped in? I did in fact find my guy a shirt -- the same guy who doesn't own a bunch of t-shirts that hang down below his thighs. It was $52 bucks and I think he looks pretty fly...what-do-people-SAY-now?

Terry (my husband) in his Agent shirt, flanked by two very attractive ladeez at a houz party in Echo Park

Agent is at 1768 North Vermont Avenue, LA, CA 90027.  Hours are mon - thurs 12-8. fri & sat 12-9. sunday 12-7.

**In other words there was a little drama going on. I heard it all and had NO idea what it was about but it had to do with $10 and getting into a club or something. The guy who worked in the store seemed to have a balanced and fair perspective from what I could make out.